Vladimir Putin does the unthinkable for Hollywood

By Iain Alexander / 29 November 2014

Vladimir Putin has directly intervened in the Russian Parliament to prevent Hollywood movies from being banned at local theaters.

The surprising announcement from Putin this month led the MPAA to issue a statement thanking the Russian President for the move, which would have seen a 50% cap on Hollywood movies and foreign releases locally.

Proposals put forward in Russia's lower house could have led to 'an embargo' on American produced films which would have led to a significant drop in box office receipts. However, distributors in Russia would have also suffered as a result of the imposed restrictions, as local demand for Hollywood movies remain high.

Back in September, Russian Director Yuri Kara publicly called for the banning of Hollywood movies following the sanctions placed on Russia by the U.S. and Europe. The director was one of the most vocal figures in the arts community addressing the politically influential All-Russia People's Front on the issue:

"I believe that next year Hollywood films need to be either completely banned or a 50% quota should be introduced."

This year 'Transformers: Age of Extinction', 'Maleficent' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy' topped the Russian box office, earning a total of more than $120m.

Putin and Seagal teamup

It is no secret that the Russian President is a fan of Hollywood movies, and actors like Steven Seagal and Mickey Rourke. Putin also offered French actor Gerard Depardieu Russian citizenship when he declared he would no longer remain a resident of France, handing in his passport.